Citizen Promaster NY0040 | Why Is This Diver Still So Popular 30 Years Later?
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Dive watches are becoming more popular than ever. With durable, waterproof construction and a stylish, sporty look, they’re a versatile choice for everyday wear. Over the years, I’ve reviewed numerous models from well-known brands like Casio, Seiko, Invicta, and Orient, but somehow, there’s a big one I seem to have missed...Citizen!
Indeed, I have reviewed Citizen before, but mainly the dressier Super Titanium models and not any of the dive watches, which they’re perhaps better known for. Their famous Promaster line has been lauded since its introduction in 1989, and I’ve finally got my hands on perhaps their most time-tested models; the NY0040.
This fan-favorite diver has been on sale since the mid-1990s, and while it lacks the historical significance, extreme water resistance, or high-tech features of some other Promaster models, it’s retained a high level of popularity, with two color variants (blue and black) still sitting in the top 5 Citizen’s on Amazon UK, when sorted by review count.
My question is, how has it retained its relevance over such a long period of time? I mean, there must be something that makes this one special.
I’m also wondering...is it even worth buying today, when newer divers are available from not only Citizen, but rival brands too?
Packaging
So first impressions were...mixed. Now, the box and packaging are just your standard Citizen fare. The long warranty period is also nice, though that may vary if you buy this through a grey market dealer like I did.
Funnily enough, the first issue wasn’t anything to do with that or the presentation of the watch. No, it was the smell!
Weirdly, when I removed the plastic film covering the rear of the watch, I got a major whiff of (what we call in the north of England) “Bobby Orange” or “B.O.”. I can only describe the scent as a cross between dirt, sweat, and poop.
The film was so neatly fitted that it must have shipped from the factory like this. Outside of dirt-cheap Chinese watches that sometimes have an odd factory stench, I’ve never encountered this before, and even though it was mostly removed with some alcohol wipes, the initial pungency was an unwelcome surprise, and there’s still a mild aroma left.
I purchased this unit from Amazon, so perhaps it’s been stored incorrectly at some point, or maybe the adhesive had gone off because there was no odor before the film was removed. Either that or Citizen’s factory needs a few scented candles to spruce things up a bit!
I have never had this with any other Citizen, so it’s likely a bizarre one-off.
Design
Something that is also a one-off is the design of the NY0040. As you can see, the layout is unlike most other affordable dive watches, as you have the crown sitting on the left side of the Promaster, rather than the right. I can’t find a statement directly from Citizen about this repositioning, though I’d imagine it’s more for comfort rather than inherent function. In this configuration, the crown cannot hit your hand or dig into your arm, even if you like wearing your watches lower down on your wrist, which is always nice.
Alternatively, I guess if you’re left-handed or someone who prefers to wear watches on your right wrist, unlike other watches, the crown here will be more accessible for you.
As a right-handed person coming from a traditional watch layout, it isn’t immediately intuitive, but you do get used to it after several uses; winding and time-setting just takes a little longer each time.
Visually, I prefer the standard 3 o’clock position, though, I can live with it, and the size bothers me more than where it’s situated; that’s because it’s pretty sizable for a watch with such a small dial. Thanks to the chunkiness, it’s easy to operate and has bundles of grip, though it does jut out substantially from the shallow guards.
Dimensions
While we’re on the topic of size, you may be surprised to learn that this model has a near 42mm diameter (41.9mm) across the center. That’s because, on the surface, it looks far smaller. In fact, it’s not too far off fitting my tiny 6-inch wrist! Primarily, that’s because width measurements don’t always tell the full story. Arguably, lug-to-lug size is a more accurate predictor of how a watch will fit, and the NY0040 sits at just 47.3mm in this regard, meaning it’s on the smaller end of the scale. Additionally, the bezel is narrower than the case, at 41mm, and the overall package is just 12.6mm thick, which is relatively slim for a diver using this movement; we’ll get to that part later. Moreover, the dial is fairly narrow, at only 29mm, enhancing the illusion.
It’s probably still best suited to medium-sized wrists, which is also evident from the fact there’s a touch of excess strap on my small arm, though the compact nature combined with the straight lugs make this a more versatile option than most Citizen watches. If solar quartz suits your needs and you fancy downsizing further, the newer 37mm Promaster may also be worth considering.
Construction
Overall, the bulk of the watch feels substantial and high quality, with a solid main case that houses a brushed finish up top and high-polish flanks. I’d say it’s about equal with Seiko and Orient in this regard, but not as nicely done as Chinese brands like San Martin, which offer finer brushing and more refined edges.
Still, I enjoy the prominent tooth-like shoulders of the watch, which provide a curved alternative to the straight lugs used on most dive watches; their wideness also feels like a minor nod to vintage skin divers.
Bezel
Something more divisive is the bezel. Now, it has some notable positives. The coin-edged sections provide great control, and the alignment is spot on, which is something you can’t say about most Seiko divers. And backplay? Well, there is none. Yeah, unlike every other diver I’ve tried in this price bracket, this Promaster feels incredibly secure, with great tolerances.
Unfortunately, this is only a 60-click bezel with an aluminum insert, so it feels quite light and cheap, with a tinny noise. It also looks quite unusual, with several intermingled smooth areas that I think you’ll either love or hate. That said, the super tight action still makes this one fun to use, just in a different way from usual.
Crystal
Standing between the bezel is the flat crystal. This is just plain, entry-level mineral glass, meaning it won’t perform as well with scratches as crystals offered by other brands. Seiko still offers their Hardlex hardened mineral crystal, which performs marginally better, while Orient has started implementing the far superior sapphire in their refreshed dive watch lineup.
Some newer versions of these Promaster divers do come with sapphire, but usually at a significantly higher price than this model or the Orient watches. One minor advantage is that this crystal is much clearer than the sapphire on the Orient Mako III, which reduces the vibrance of that dial.
Appearance
Older models like this one also tend to have atrocious stock images that look like they were taken on your grandma’s iPad. Thankfully, in person, it looks much better. From a design perspective, it feels very much like a product of its time, with a 90s color palette consisting of a navy backdrop and coral red accents; the lumed markers, too, are displayed in a light pear green tone rarely used these days. I guess the results depend on how much you resonate with the style of this era.
Despite what most images indicate, it surprisingly boasts a stealthy sunburst finish, which adds character, especially from tight angles, where contrast is at its highest, though the markers look inferior to those fitted to some modern watches. These indices appear to be punched through from the rear rather than applied to the dial surface, and while this likely prevents misalignment, it doesn’t enhance the depth of the dial to the same degree. Frustratingly, the lume on the hands is also white, a bizarre choice that doesn’t coincide with the similarly proportioned markers.
I wouldn’t call the NY0040 a looker in the traditional sense, though it does avoid looking generic, a common pitfall encountered by newer brands. It also has a dark day-date wheel, that, while not color-matched to the dial, at least does a better job of blending in than a stock white window, which would have looked much more intrusive, given the wide size.
Water Resistance & Movement
As you can see from the lower text, this Promaster offers the industry-standard 200m water resistance rating, so it will easily cope with aquatic activities. I’ve heard that this is ISO-rated too, though I can’t find any documentation from Citizen confirming this.
Of course, the NY0040 of today isn’t identical to that launched in the 1990s; it’s had some updates to somewhat stay up with the times. One such upgrade is the movement. No prizes for guessing that this is a Miyota automatic, given that Miyota is owned by Citizen. Predictably, it’s one of their lower-cost 8000 series movements, specifically the caliber 8204, which provides hacking and hand-winding capabilities at a stated accuracy of -20/+40 sec/day. Unfortunately, like most 8000 series Miyotas, you can both feel and hear the rotor spinning prominently when it’s on the wrist, which can be a little off-putting in quiet environments.
Unlike some Seiko divers, you also can’t see the unit through the rear of the watch, but it’s not exactly eye candy anyway.
Watch Strap
One advantage this watch has over some similarly priced alternatives is the strap. I’d take this half-decent rubber strap over most rubbish bracelets any day. It’s got a nicely textured rear, along with ventilation holes to prevent sweat buildup, as well as two keepers and a custom-shaped buckle. It’s really comfortable and a step up from that fitted to the Casio Duro, with a color that perfectly ties the whole package together.
An underrated boon is the sheer number of adjustment holes here. On most larger watches like this, I’m forced to resign myself to the final hole, and even that usually results in the watch hanging loose. However, this Citizen has almost three inches worth of holes, meaning it can accommodate a huge range of wrist sizes; I’m not sure my wrist has ever seen the third hole on a watch strap before!
As I alluded to earlier, there is some excess poking atop, though this is still a major win from a usability perspective. Other variants of this watch ship on a bracelet instead, though I can’t attest to its quality, as I have yet to try it.
Lume
Low-light performance is middle-of-the-road. When next to the Orient Mako 3 and the Seiko 5 SRPD, you’ll see it’s better than the Orient, but clearly falls short of the Seiko. The large markers do aid visibility, no doubt. There’s also an alternative version of this Citizen, which has a fully lumed dial if you’re targeting torch-like performance.
Final Thoughts
Here are my surface-level thoughts about this versus the Seiko and Orient. I think this Promaster, outside of the crystal, is as well built as the others and is 90% as good in terms of case finishing. In fact, it’s probably the better diver from an aquatic and functional perspective. Still, it has the most dated and least impressive appearance, especially compared to the Mako Sport, which looks phenomenal for a budget watch (read my review of that watch here). This Citizen strap is superior to the non-bracelet Seiko models, though it’s powered by my least favorite movement; the Seiko automatic is reasonably finished and much quieter, while the Orient one is the most accurate of the units I’ve tried.
Left to Right: Seiko SRPD, Citizen NY0040 and Orient Mako III
The main advantage this Citizen has is price. On grey market sites like Jomashop and Amazon, it’s currently selling for around $180 or £180 on average, which is a chunk less than the newer-gen Seikos and half the cost of the Mako III, which has soared in price over the last few months. The Mako III is absolutely not worth $400, by the way, so wait for prices to come down; my connections have told me that should be resolved soon.
In reality, the current competition for this watch is predominantly the likes of the previous gen Orient Ray and Mako II, which usually sell for a similar figure. It’s an extremely close call between those models, but I think the Ray is probably the better-looking choice, though it does have a worse stock strap.
Nevertheless, this Citizen still does a good job of filling the void between the lower-cost quartz divers and these newer, marked-up models, and you could also throw the Invicta Pro Diver in the mix, though the Citizen has a more original design and no huge side engraving.
It’s one of those watches that has no awesome stand-out features, but at the same time, if you know what you’re buying, it probably won’t disappoint you. I’m keen to look at the NY0120 Promasters, which appear more stylish and colorful (check out the colors here).